Mayor Lee takes knife to turkey; SF budget up next

CHARITY

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, November 24, 2011

SF Police Chief Greg Suhr (left) and Mayor Ed Lee (right) at the Salvation Army to carve turkeys in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, November 23, 2011.

SF Police Chief Greg Suhr (left) and Mayor Ed Lee (right) at the Salvation Army to carve turkeys in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, November 23, 2011.

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

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Resident Christian Miller (middle) from Sacramento passing out turkey breast for volunteers to carve at the Salvation Army to carve a turkey in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, November 23, 2011. 205 turkeys, and 220 turkey breasts were made withing 4 and a half days, 24 hours a day for tomorrow's event. less

Resident Christian Miller (middle) from Sacramento passing out turkey breast for volunteers to carve at the Salvation Army to carve a turkey in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, November 23, 2011. 205 ... more

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

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SF Police Chief Greg Suhr (left) and Mayor Ed Lee (right) at the Salvation Army getting ready to carve turkeys in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, November 23, 2011.

SF Police Chief Greg Suhr (left) and Mayor Ed Lee (right) at the Salvation Army getting ready to carve turkeys in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, November 23, 2011.

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

Image 4 of 4

SF Police Chief Greg Suhr (middle) and Mayor Ed Lee (right front) at the Salvation Army getting ready to carve turkeys in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, November 23, 2011.

SF Police Chief Greg Suhr (middle) and Mayor Ed Lee (right front) at the Salvation Army getting ready to carve turkeys in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, November 23, 2011.

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

Mayor Lee takes knife to turkey; SF budget up next

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San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is known for his thoughtful, methodical style in Room 200 - and he's no different when it comes to carving turkeys.

Lee was at the Salvation Army on Wednesday morning for its annual turkey carving festivities, at which a host of city officials helped break down 6,000 pounds of bird to be delivered to the poor today. Police Chief Greg Suhr and Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White carved on either side of Lee, getting through more birds and letting more barbs fly.

"You guys have got this down to a science, huh?" Lee asked them, looking a bit nervous at first. He slowly carved two turkeys and a separate turkey breast, lining up his slices with precision and ensuring no meat was left on the bones.

He'll have to use that same care as he begins meetings to balance the city's 2012-13 budget - and is already asking regular San Franciscans to pony up extra cash to help social service programs including the Salvation Army, as well as the city itself.

Lee has launched a Season of Giving campaign that will run until his Jan. 8 inauguration. Until then, he'll make appearances like the Wednesday event to persuade businesses and residents to donate to social service programs. Those who give money, time or canned food will be rewarded with a chance to be photographed with Lee in front of the Tree of Hope - what the city calls its giant Christmas tree - at City Hall.

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Perhaps more unusual is a separate new program called Give2SF.org, which was launched this week by Lee and Treasurer Jose Cisneros. It provides an easy way to donate to the city online, and donors can select whether to direct their money to the arts, neighborhood beautification projects, homeless services, recreation and parks, disaster recovery or general city services.

The press release touts giving to the city - which already spends $6.8 billion a year, more than some small states - as "the perfect holiday gift for San Francisco residents, supporters or fans."

"I really want to actually have a focus during the holidays that the need is going to be very high," Lee said over his turkey carcass. "There's a lot of bad news I'm anticipating."

He got his first piece of financial bad news on election day when voters rejected his Proposition G, which would have imposed a half-cent sales tax, bringing the city's rate to 9 percent, among the highest in the state. The controller's office said it would have been worth $60 million to the city annually, and would rise to $78 million a year in a decade.

It needed two-thirds passage, but received the support of only 46 percent of voters. "That would have been a cushion for us," Lee said.

The mayor said anticipated cuts from the state and federal government that filter down to the counties will be much worse - especially since California's midyear revenue is billions less than expected, which could trigger major cuts to social services, education and other areas.

Lee said he was expecting a budget gap for next year of around $300 million, but "if they pull that trigger, all bets are off."

"If there are some rich individuals who want to throw more money at City Hall, that's up to them," he said. "But it'll probably just exacerbate the problem of spending in the city. ... I personally would give my money to St. Anthony's or the food bank."

Lee said he knows many San Franciscans aren't in any financial shape to donate, but "it's always important to ask."

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